TORONTO/NEW YORK (Jan. 15, 2024) – The National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association announced today that forward Valeri Nichushkin of the Colorado Avalanche will be unavailable to his Club for an indefinite period while he receives care from the Player Assistance Program of the NHLPA and NHL.
Under the terms of the joint program, he will return to the Club when cleared for on-ice competition by the program administrators.
This is the 2nd time in two seasons that Nichushkin has received treatment.
The 1st was last April during the playoffs and was related to an alcohol incident (note Nichushkin might not have consumed alcohol at all as it was a super drunk unrelated woman from Ukraine found at the hotel during the playoffs).
The police report quoted the woman as saying:
Facts are from: https://www.denverpost.com/202..
Also should add that wasn't his wife, Svetlana, who he married in 2018.
Here is the better version of the story (behind a paywall)...
https://theathletic.com/446545...
Turns out it was an Avs team physician that "encountered the woman" while checking in on Nichushkin during the afternoon of a maintenance day before game 3. The Avs lost that series afterwards--losing 3 games by one goal margins after Nichushkin sought help and stepped away from the team.
Can someone explain to me why Corey Perry doesn't have to go through the Players Assistance Program.
Maybe I missed it, but I do not think there was an official version of what Perry did except for internet rumors that he got involved with Bedard's mom. And I believe he was suspended by the Hawks, not NHL.
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